Coral Rescue (Age 8+)

Presented to you by the Brain Bots

Table of Contents

WHAT ARE CORAL?

Corals might seem like a mix of plants and rocks that just sit on the seafloor, but they’re actually animals! Even more amazing, they provide shelter for millions of fish, and many people depend on those fish for food and income. A coral is made up of tiny animals called polyps, each with a single opening that acts as both a mouth and a way to expel waste. Surrounding the mouth are tentacles that help the coral catch food, defend itself, and clear debris.

There are two types of corals: hard and soft. Hard corals, often mistaken for rocks, build their skeletons from calcium carbonate. These rigid structures are formed by thousands of polyps working together, creating the coral reefs we see today.

​

WHY ARE CORAL GETTING ENDANGERED?

These beautiful animals that display varieties of colors, give shelter to fish, and support life for humans are sadly decreasing in population. But how and why is this happening? Lots of this decline has to do with human activity.

Climate change, caused by factories, cars, and other technology is resulting in the rise of ocean temperatures. This leads to coral bleaching because coral live in cold temperatures, where coral turn white and are vulnerable to disease. Overfishing, especially with destructive fishing practices, will break and displace the coral. The coral will end up buried in sand, meaning that it will die soon. Pollution, which is caused by humans too, will suffocate the polyps and contaminate their habitats, leading to unhealthy coral.

HOW CAN WE SOLVE THIS? WHAT IS THE PROCESS?

There is, however, a way that humans can take action to solve this problem. What? We can be mindful about the amount of sunscreen we use at beaches, as they are a cause of unhealthy coral. Pollution is also a factor we must consider, for it is contaminating the corals’ habitats. There is another way to compensate for our mistakes, it is to let divers go down in the ocean and find coral fragments, which were knocked down by nets and other technology. This is to make sure that the coral doesn’t get buried in sand and die. The divers must only take one kind of coral, for coral can attack each other. When you go swimming in the ocean and you feel pain in your foot, that is coral attacking you using its tentacles and chemicals. Then, the divers take the coral back to a coral nursery, where the coral is left healing until it is ready to live on its own again. The divers take the coral back to the ocean and plant them or glue them to a habitat, and the coral is recovered again.

MORE EXPLANATION AND PICTURES

Coral that are living on rocks can be broken be fishing nets, scuba divers, and other human activity. As a result, coral fragments are left on the ground that will be buried by sand and die soon unless divers save them.

Coral also need a specific temperature, so the divers will have to take them back quickly at cold temperatures for them not to die on the way.

Oxygen is limited underwater, meaning that divers must return to the surface after a certain time.

There is no verbal communication underwater, so divers use sign language. This could be another topic to innovate on.

Ex. Coral bed

HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT THIS INTO OUR BOARD GAME?

We, the brain bots, want to help spread this news to help save coral, and we have done it in a form of a book and a board game. How do we implement the information we have into our board game though? We have chance cards that explain how coral are being harmed underwater, and what occasions can happen underwater with a bit of humor involved. Some examples of chance cards are a fishing ship impact and sunscreen. A fishing net will knock your coral over, and sunscreen pollutes the water. Another way we implement this is the idea of the game. The main goal is to plant as much coral as possible, using the process explained on page 3.

Examples of similarities: Oxygen is limited underwater, so as a result, the player must return to home in a certain amount of moves.

After the coral is in its nursery, it needs time to recover. This is why the player can only plant the coral in the nursery the next round.

FUN FACTS ABOUT CORAL

• Bleaching is actually a coral’s secret weapon, it does this to expel algae and survive in warm temperatures!
• The vibrant colors we see in coral is actually produced by a type of algae, so this is why the coral turns pale when the algae is expelled.
• Coral larvae are actually “listeners”, because they sense sounds that signify a healthy environment.
• These larvae are at first mobile animals, but once they settle down, they cannot move much.
• When coral fragments are found on the ground, it could actually not be human activity! Instead, breaking of coral fragments purposely is one way of coral reproduction if it lands in a good spot. This is another reason why divers have been putting so much effort trying to find coral fragments. They can have a chance of living and creating new coral.

SUMMARY

After learning all about coral reefs, you now know how essential they are to ocean ecosystems and us. Coral reefs aren’t just beautiful, they’re vital animals that support ocean ecosystems and protect our ocean shorelines. Every piece of coral contributes to the ocean’s balance, and it is up to us, humans, to help them grow again. Whether it is reducing pollution, supporting divers, or even sharing this knowledge, together we can make coral reefs thrive again for a bright future.

LIFE OF A CORAL STORY!

To add a bit of fun and humor into this book, let us introduce you to a story about a coral to bring you a deeper understanding of them!

Day 1 - Pollution: Hello there, my name is King Coral Bob I (Bob the first). I am the almighty king of all coral (on my rock) and watch over all the pollution, divers, nets, and habitats. Today, my fellow coral told me that pollution is rising around the shallow waters. Some coral living there are starting to pale and bleach! I warned all the coral on my rock, and they said that they would try to reproduce to create coral in another place. Hopefully the pollution doesn’t reach us too soon!

Day 2 - THE POLLUTION DOES REACH US TOO SOON: AHHHHHHH! Help us! Sunscreen, water bottles, plastic bags, fishing nets, and human underwear?

“Human underwear? Really? And they call us the weird ones for being animals…” They are all starting to reach us! My friends are starting to bleach and expel algae! To make matters worse, we can’t even move, which is very inconvenient.

Day 3 - DISRESPECT FOR CORAL: Just when I thought it couldn’t get worse, these giant, bubble-blowing creatures (humans, I’m told, ew, disgusting name) showed up and started poking around. One almost spanked me with his big hand and nearly suffocated me with its swimsuit! I’d complain to my Coral Advisor, but he’s too busy bleaching. To make matters worse, one tourist whapped one of my fellow coral into the sand, and now he’s drifting away. Do humans even understand coral relationships? They also said to make an “Ew tube” video about seeing coral. I wondered what a video was and maybe the “video”came out of the “Ew Tube”.

Day 4 - OH, HOW I HATE HUMANS: Do any humans have any respect at all for coral? I mean, we’re so important, we sit on the ocean floor and offer habitats to fish! Do they even know that they’re economy would collapse without us? Today, some obnoxious human decided to KICK me off my rock and I landed in the sand. And as if that wasn’t enough, they FART OUT BUBBLES? EW! That smell was HORRENDOUS! Currently, I am lying in the sand inhaling FART, while Mr. Fins and Suit swam up the water. I wonder how my friends on my rock are doing. Hopefully they are still safe! I really miss my rock already… how I wish I could move to see my partners again. I wish everyone could see how important it is to treat coral with kindness instead of carelessness.

​

Day 5 - THE RETURN OF THE HELP AND THE HOSPITAL FOR CORAL: Today, some humans that were dressed in diver suits (not the tourist who farted on me) rescued me! They plopped me down in a coral hospital or nursery next to some other bleaching coral. I still hope that my friends on my rock are safe, but maybe I can at least make some new ones! Thank you divers! It’s good to know that there are indeed humans out there who want to help. I wish everyone could be one of them.

Day 6 - HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY :): Thanks to those kind divers, now I am slowly healing from the human farts and pollution (including human underwear). I am still a little bit pale, but it’s getting better. Even better, I am starting to make new friends! All the damaged coral in the coral nursery are all really nice, and we exchange stories about the pollution.

Final Day (Day 7) - HOME SWEET HOME!: Finally! I am back home all healthy on my rock. The divers brought me back in a tray and glued me back in a coral bed. Apparently, that was the exact same rock that I used to live on with my Coral Advisor! The divers brought all of my new friends along with me back home.

Signing Out,

Coral Bob I

​

Simplified Story for Age 8-

The next page is about the life of Bob I simplified. It highlights the key points about the story and makes it more understandable.

LIFE OF A CORAL STORY SIMPLIFIED

I am coral Bob, a happy coral living with my friends on a large rock.

​

​

​

​

Oh no! Pollution and human underwear is starting to contaminate us! I am starting to bleach! Help!

​

Some tourist kicked me off my rock and farted in my face! I really miss my friends…

​

​

​

​

A scuba diver rescued me and plopped me in a coral nursery! I hope I can recover soon and see my friends again. Thank you scuba diver! Glad to know that at least some people care about us!

Home sweet home! I am back on my rock with my family and friends! I hope that everyone will know to treat coral with respect and love instead of carelessness.

Remember, coral reefs need respect and care. They are important to ocean ecosystems and support our life. If you ever have a chance to explore coral, treat it with kindness. With your help, coral can remain beautiful, healthy, and safe for everyone!

Sincerely,

The brain bots